Soft-Boiled Mysteries
by Sei Cat
Summary: Tasuki and Nuriko set up shop in a 1920's detective story. Of course things never really go as planned.
1. It was a Dark and Stormy Night

Soft-Boiled Mysteries  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
I'm poor! I own nothing! Don't sue me!  
  
Well, now that we have that out of the way . . . Ummm . . . I hope you enjoy the show . . . (I'm just SO informative, ne?  
  
Cat~  
  
P.S.: These are gonna be short chapters. Gomen!  
  
*****************************************  
  
"It was a dark and stormy night . . ."  
  
"Oh, please!" Tasuki turned from his rain-darkened view of the city streets below to regard his partner lounging in the office's only good chair.  
  
"Hey! Shut up! This is my story and I'll tell it how I want." Nuriko shrugged and leaned back in his chair motioning politely for Tasuki to continue.  
  
"Like I said it was a dark and stormy night in Chicago, 1925. Even the rats knew better than to stick it out in this freezing November downpour. All was quiet on the street and in the offices of Tasuki and Nuriko, private detectives" Nuriko snorted as Tasuki posed against the window frame in his dark brown slacks and loose, secondhand tie. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows displaying a mark shaped like the kanji for "Yoku." He posed carefully on the ledge. The mortar tended to crumble beneath his fingers which only made leaning over the wet metal fire escape any farther a rather precarious proposition.  
  
"It was quiet night. Dark and stormy. The kind of night better spent curled up with your girl, a cup a'joe, and better things on your mind then the cold and wet of the abandoned streets. But not all the quiet was peaceful. Not all the Peace was real. Somewhere out there was a secret waiting to be solved . . ." Tasuki paused.  
  
"And?" Nuriko inquired.  
  
"That's about it." There was a crash as Nuriko fell out of his chair. He climbed back to his feet and gave his partner a dirty look.  
  
"That's IT? Nothing else? Nada? Zip? Zilch? I was hoping you'd at least come up with a job for us!"  
  
"We just had a job!" Tasuki defended hunching his shoulders up and leaning against the window frame.  
  
"We found some kid's lost kitten . . .!"  
  
"Hey, that cat was hard to find!"  
  
". . . And all we got for payment was a nickel and a handful of jellybeans!"  
  
"Those were good jellybeans . . ."  
  
"Tasuki, you idiot! We're broke! They're turning off the electric next week!."  
  
"I know, I know . . . Just give me a chance to think . . ." Tasuki sat down on the sill and pouted. Nuriko rolled his eyes and went back to scanning the want ads spread out over the desk when the side door opened and a little boy walked in carrying a loaded tray.  
  
"I brought you all some tea!" Chiriko announced as he slid the kitchenette's door closed with his foot. He slid the tray onto the corner of the desk Nuriko hastily cleared for him.  
  
"Wow! We still have tea left?" Nuriko poked at the kettle.  
  
"Actually, no. I've just been reusing the old leaves . . ." the boy replied cheerfully. Nuriko took a dubious look at the weak tea and then tentative a sip. Tasuki slurped his down without bothering to even look at what he was drinking.  
  
"How's the job search going?" Chiriko asked taking his usual seat on the footstool in the corner.  
  
"Not good. This idiot hasn't been any help . . ." Nuriko waved a negligent hand in Tasuki's direction.  
  
"I'm working on it!" he barked back but the unmistakable squeak of the outer door opening forestalled any further argument.  
  
"Was that the door?" Tasuki ventured after a stunned pause.  
  
"It's rather unmistakable." Nuriko replied just as surprised.  
  
"Bill collectors?" Tasuki guessed.  
  
"Who else would actually come here? Chiriko! Go stall them while we sneak out." Nuriko pushed the little boy out the office door despite his protests.  
  
"Do ya think they'll do anything to him?" Tasuki asked while levering the window open a bit more and grabbing his trench coat from Nuriko's outstretched hand.  
  
"I don't think so . . . would they?" Nuriko glanced inquisitively at the door listening for the telltale sounds of a struggle. Tasuki shrugged and began fitting himself out the window and onto the fire escape when the door suddenly opened. Chiriko zipped in and slammed the door behind him pressing his back up against it. His face was drained of color and his knees shook.  
  
"What is it, Chiriko?" Nuriko took a step toward the boy while Tasuki tried to decide between finishing his escape and making sure the kid was all right.  
  
"It's a . . . She's . . ." Chiriko stammered.  
  
"Spit it out, Chiriko!" Nuriko crossed the room and shook the boys shoulders a bit.  
  
"She wants to hire a detective . . ." Tasuki promptly dropped the window on his own head and cursed quite creatively into the rain.  
  
"Tasuki, I'm getting really tired of these dramatic pauses." Nuriko complained.  
  
"Yeah, Yeah, give me a sec." Tasuki levered the window back up and climbed back inside. He was soaked through with rain. "Somebody get me a towel . . ." Nuriko tossed him the dishtowel from the tea tray and turned back to Chiriko.  
  
"Now tell me exactly what she said."  
  
"She . . . she said to tell you she was . . . um . . . 'a women of consequence' and that she had a job for a skilled detective."  
  
"Heh! Did she say what she was doing here?" Tasuki griped from the good chair while rubbing vigorously at his flame colored hair.  
  
"Oh hush, Tasuki! This could be a real job. Chiriko, bring this 'women of consequence' in and let's see what she has to say." Chiriko nodded and went out while Nuriko made his way across the office to the second best chair and sat carefully down trying not to tip the seat too far back.  
  
"Do ya think it's for real?" Tasuki inquired tossing the much-abused towel back on the tray.  
  
"I guess we're about to find out."  
  
  
  
Yatta! First chapter done! Please feel free to let me know what you think. ^_^ Thanks for reading!  
  
Cat~  
  
The Inexplicably Euphoric 


	2. A Women of Consequence

Author's Note: Nyuuu! Chapter 2! Yes, I know it's really late . . . I am scum! Forgive me.  
  
  
  
She wasn't much to look at, as far as women go. Kinda young. The kind of girl who should have been home playing with her dolls instead of wandering around this rat infested part of town looking for detectives for hire. But the coat she wore was mink and the rocks on her wrist and neck were real if a little showy. The odangos had to go . . . Her name was Miaka Yuki and her story . . . was an interesting one . . .  
  
"Does he always talk to himself like that?" Miaka whispered to Nuriko.  
  
"You'll get used to it." Nuriko replied with a shrug.  
  
"So, this guy your looking for? When was the last time you saw him?"  
  
"Tamahome said he would meet me for lunch at the Café Regalo yesterday afternoon but he never showed up."  
  
"So he's only been missing for a few hours, then?" Tasuki glanced at Nuriko and cast his eyes heavenward in a plea for patience. This little girl's boyfriend had more than likely found another skirt to flip and had just forgotten to cover his trail. He'd come calling again when he got up the courage or came up with a really good excuse.  
  
"28 actually . . . hours that is . . . I know it sounds silly, but every other time he's gone missing it's because something has happened."  
  
"Oh? What kind of something?" Tasuki asked leaning back in the chair. He wondered privately how many lunches this guy had missed and what his excuses had been. But the stories this Miaka Yuuki related made even Tasuki think twice about the guy's guilt.  
  
"So let me get this straight . . . You're saying he was drugged into thinking he wanted you dead? Was that before or after he was re-incarnated as Tama?" Nuriko tried valiantly to clear up some of the more confusing points but most were muddled beyond comprehension by Miss Yuuki's inability to relate events chronologically and her increasing tendency to sniffle. Not to mention the vague and disconcerting tingle of Deja Vu both Nuriko and Tasuki were experiencing. But that's what happens when alternate worlds aren't as complete as their creators would like so the two brushed the feeling off as best they could and tried to follow the current plotline (not to mention Miss Yuuki's story) as best they could.  
  
"And . . . sniff . . . and so that's how . . . sniff, sniff . . . how I know he didn't just forget about me." Nuriko dug out a tissue from the bottom of the tissue box, handed it to her, and then waited until the girl could compose herself.  
  
"So, this guy Nakago, you think he's the one behind all this?" Nuriko ventured.  
  
"Well, he's been behind most everything else . . . unless it was Tenkou . . . but I think he's only in the OAV's . . ." Tasuki waved that last comment aside.  
  
"Let's not make things anymore complicated then they already are, huh? Have you got a picture of this guy we can look at?  
  
"Oh! Of course!" Miss Yuuki opened up her wallet and unrolled 5-foot chain of plastic photograph holders. "Now let me see . . . Oh, this one's nice! This was taken when he first started college . . ."  
  
"Hey, he's not bad looking" Nuriko commented.  
  
"Oh, and this one is when we all went to Nezumi Land . . . And this was the baseball game (my brother's idea) . . ."  
  
"Hey, Tasuki! There's a picture of you here!"  
  
"Great! Wonderful! Can we stick to THIS story line, please? I'm getting a headache. Just find ONE picture you can lend us and let's get on with it!" The girl scanned both sides of the picture chain until she came to one she felt she could part with for the duration of the investigation and handed it to Tasuki for a closer look.  
  
"Not bad . . . if like that goody-goody-boy-next -door look. He's not quite on my level, though . . ."  
  
"Can we dispense with the ego stroking, please." Nuriko snatched the photo from Tasuki.  
  
"Don't worry, Kid. We'll find him for you."  
  
"Oh, will you? That's great! Here's the number where you can reach me." She rummaged in her purse and scribbled on a scrap of paper before handing it off to Nuriko. "Thank you so much!!"  
  
"Chiriko, will you see our guest out, please."  
  
"Of course! This way Miss Yuki!" Chiriko hopped off his stool and led Miss Yuki out the door.  
  
"So now what, PARTNER?" Nuriko inquired raising an eyebrow at Tasuki. "How are we gonna find this kid. Where do we even start looking?"  
  
"Oh, that's the easy part."  
  
"Oh, yeah?"  
  
"Yup! We start . . . at the Beginning . . ."  
  
  
  
Author's Note~  
  
I couldn't decide what events I wanted to bring in as "past history" so I just gave Tasuki my confusion and moved on with life.  
  
Nezumi means mouse by the by . . . (or rat . . . ^_^ )  
  
So, how do you call your Noriko? He? She? Both sound equally wrong and still so right . . .  
  
I know these are short chapters but, hey, it's kind of a short story . . . Er, don't ask why I haven't gotten it all up if it's so short . . . you'll only make me cry . . . 


	3. Humble Beginnings

"The Humble Beginnings Diner was an anomaly among it's kind. It boasted the same Formica tables, painted metal chairs, and garish but somehow homey decor as other similar establishments. What set this particular joint apart from the rest was the fact that every inspectable and uninspectable surface in the place was lather up and scrub down clean. We're talking dim the lights or blind the patrons kind of clean. Although no one ever had, you probably could eat off the floor. Between that, the good food and the good service, the place actually made money. The regular's all agreed that Mits, the owner, had a cure for all that might be ailing you.  
  
So it was here that Nuriko and Tasuki, private detectives, set up their second base of operations . . ."  
  
"Where do you come up with this stuff?" Tasuki grouched from his seat in the corner booth.  
  
"Just showing you how it's done." Noriko replied casually, flipping his braid over his shoulder and leaning back comfortably.  
  
"Yeah, well, this is my story so I'll tell it the way I want. Got it?"  
  
"So tell it already!"  
  
"Ummm . . . right . . ." Tasuki settled himself a little more comfortably. "So . . . uh . . . what's to eat?" Noriko walloped him with the menu.  
  
"I was talking about the case! You've got the menu MEMORIZED!"  
  
"Maybe Tasuki was asking about the specials?" Shoka, waitress extraordinaire, deftly place 2 coffees and a vanilla milkshake in front of her regulars and gave them her winning smile. "It's the Open Faced Roast Beef, two sides and a peach cobbler. But I'm guessing you'll want your usuals: right? How are you boys doing? Working on a case?"  
  
"Yeah, we're looking for someone this time. Some girl lost track of her boyfriend yesterday so she hired us to track him down."  
  
"Hired you, did she?" Shoka shook her head in feigned bewilderment. "She must have gotten some bad advice somewhere . . . unless your excellent tree climbing abilities have brought your little group into the limelight, Tasuki."  
  
"HaHa! Very funny. Can't a guy do a little charitable work now and then without getting dragged through the dirt about it?" Tasuki hunched his shoulders, glared at the menu, and slurped loudly on his milkshake.  
  
"Well, now . . . as I recall . . . wasn't it the big red chow dog from across the street that actually chased you up the tree?" Nuriko took great care in studying the pristine ceiling.  
  
"Yeah, Tasuki. The same one that chased the cat up the tree to begin with?" Chiriko added, his cheeks ablush with juvenile innocence. Tasuki grumble behind his menu, only looking up long enough to glare at his partners.  
  
"Our regular orders will be fine, thanks Shoka." Nuriko concluded with a smug grin plastered across his face.  
  
"Ok, I'll have it up in a bit. And I'll send Mits over.?You boys look like you could use the help."  
  
"Is it that obvious?" Chiriko asked Nuriko as Shoka made her way to another table.  
  
"Only to anyone with eyes." Nuriko shrugged. "Tasuki will you pull your head out of that menu and get serious." With one final glare in Nuriko's direction Tasuki placed the menu down on the table with as much dignity as he could muster.  
  
"Ahem . . . here are the facts: Miss Yuuki lost track of her wayward boyfriend around lunch time yesterday. Mr. Pretty Boy tends to attract all kinds of trouble just by breathing. This guy, Schnakagogo, is our only suspect."  
  
"Schnaka-who?"  
  
" . . . and we don't even know who the guy is!"  
  
"Ayuru Gi: Head of Ry?g? Entertainment and goes by the name Nakago," Mits broke in as he wandered over the table. "The world's largest provider of paid entertainment."  
  
"You mean . . ." Gulped Chiriko and then dropped his voice to a mere whisper, "Ladies of Ill Repute?"  
  
"No. I mean Video Arcades."  
  
"Are you sure there aren't any, er, 'Ladies of Ill Repute?'" Tasuki inquired casually and Mits gave him a look. "I was just asking!"  
  
"Anyway, his company has game centers all across this city and most of the free world."  
  
"Maybe we should go have a talk with Mister Entertainment." Noriko mused aloud.  
  
"You won't be able to see him."  
  
"Huh? Why not?" The three boys looked at Mits in surprise.  
  
"He never sees anyone without an appointment."  
  
"An appointment, huh? So why don't we just make one?"  
  
"You're not important enough." Mits replied without even twitching.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Tasuki countered with his usual tact and volume.  
  
"It means we have to find another way." Nuriko distracted him.  
  
"Oh, yeah? And how do we do that?"  
  
"What if we won?" Chiriko offered.  
  
"Won what?" Nuriko and Tasuki queried in chorus.  
  
"Well, if we kept winning at all the games wouldn't he get curious?"  
  
"That is hitting him pretty hard in the wallet . . . at least if we could win enough." Nuriko mused aloud.  
  
"We'd have to be winning some big bucks to get a guy like that curious. How good are you guys at arcade games?"  
  
"We could always cheat." Nuriko suggested eyes passing casually across the ceiling.  
  
"Oh, yeah, and how do you propose we do that?" Tasuki groused and Mits reached across to steal his napkin. "Hey! That's mine!" Mits glared at him briefly.  
  
"Oh, shut up, Tasuki. It's not like they don't have any more." Nuriko leaned forward eagerly trying to see what Mits was scribbling down.  
  
"Here, tell him I sent you." Mits dropped the napkin in Nuriko's eager hands and made his way back to the kitchens. Nuriko smoothed the rough map out on the table where they could see.  
  
"Well, guys, here's our direction. We can head right over there . . . er . . . right after lunch."  
  
As if on cue, Shoka sidled up to their table with a loaded tray.  
  
"Here you go, boys. Oh, and Mits said Tasuki needed some more of these." And with that, she plunked what amounted to a small rainforest of napkins into Tasuki's waiting lap.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Yeah! Another Chapter! Geez, I'm slow!  
  
Ok, I extrapolated a little: Ayuru is Nakago's real name according to one of the Fushigi Yuugi Gaiden novels. According to the novels Gi Koyuu was his father.  
  
Yeah, ok, so it's not much of an author's note . . . I'm lame : P 


End file.
